He was educated by the Irish monks at de La Salle College in the Cape port of East London. After leaving the Naval Academy in Simons Town in 1967, his first job was as a junior reporter, employed for a short while by Donald Woods, the famous editor of the Daily Dispatch. He has been a dedicated artist and a career spanning over fifty years has earned him a reputation of high international respect.

In 1986 Malachi Smith participated in an international exhibition held in the Super Dome of New Orleans USA. This was the introduction to his now famous Miniature Signed Print Collection.

Sadly, Malachi passed away on 29 June 2012. He leaves a beautiful legacy to the art world. His talent was passed on to his children of which Dallas Smith has been a professional artist for more than twenty years. His younger children, Jemima and Kerren are both budding artists.